


Outlast

by Mapofmyhead



Category: Muse (Band)
Genre: I'm so so sorry, Slow Updates, Well - Freeform, Zombie Apocalypse, alternative universe, excuse my bad writing i was young and inexperienced, kind of, maybe some blood, ongoing series, possible death, probably some deaths, space
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-10
Updated: 2016-04-10
Packaged: 2018-06-01 11:27:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 15,641
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6516664
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mapofmyhead/pseuds/Mapofmyhead
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Zombie Apocalypse happens. Boy in space to find cure. </p><p>Seriously, that's it. </p><p>funfunfun</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

I hid behind the truck waiting for the soldiers to pace to the main building from where they wouldn't be able to see me. Between bobbing heads as they walked I could make out half of the vehicle I had to go on to. I definitely had to make a run for it.

The soldiers reached the building and the high security automatic door opened to let them in. It closed behind them leaving the yard almost empty. I looked to his left exposed side from where somebody could easily see me. Only a couple of soldiers were patrolling in the distance. This was my chance. 

I stood up and ran as fast as I could, slightly bending over so none of them could see me. I looked around as I was running. One of them was now coming my direction.

"Dammit!" I swore under his breath and made a knee slide to the next vehicle, easily sliding under it. 

I watched the man's feet as he paced past me without noticing me. I surely didn't have enough time. I moved under the vehicle and stuck my head out carefully. I couldn't risk getting out without making sure I wouldn't draw attention on myself. I lifted his hips and reached for my pocket. I grabbed the grenade and pulled it out, checking its weight in one hand and mentally calculating how far I would be able to throw it. 

The distracting noise of the huge door sliding open caused my head to snap to its direction and my ears to perk up. A drove of soldiers threateningly walked out, moving towards the vehicles. I didn't have time for this shit. 

Without taking a second to think about it twice I violently removed the clip from the grenade and my arm jerked upwards almost hitting the back of the vehicle and then forward throwing the grenade as far as the largest vehicle on the opposite array. The grenade crushed on its side tearing it to pieces with a powerful explosion and flames gracefully licked around at what was left of it. 

I broke my stare from the mesmerizing view when the men started shouting and the noise of the sirens in the yard was loud enough to draw attention on the 'intrusion' and not on me. And as soon as I was on my feet I ran again, as fast as I could, to the vehicle down the array which was conveniently waiting with its door open. I jumped in and slid under the largest iron bench on the right trying to catch my breath.

"It-It worked!" I happily giggled quietly  and pulled the black beanie off ruffling my bright red hair, grinning.

The trick with the grenade would cause the departure to be delayed for an hour or so but damn. It was worth it. Explosions are always fascinating. And, unless they spotted me here, they would never suspect me. People always take such destructive actions against the army and the government. Though, I guess, the government had no power anymore. The army has taken over everything.

However, I didn't belong in any gang against the army. I wasn't into that stuff. However, I wouldn't mind burning them all and dancing around the fire and unfortunately that was something only big gangs had the power to do. But being part of such groups required great responsibility, faith in their beliefs and obedience to their rules. F*ck their responsibilities and f*ck their beliefs and f*ck their rules. That's what I think and what many others would reject just for the safety of belonging in a team. 

During the last three month the gangs, who don't secretly support the shitheads that run the entire world, made a shitload of damages to army facilities. Not that I'm against that; the contrary actually. I think the bastards deserve it after what they did to so many innocent people. 

But am I amongst the innocent? I don't think so.

Let me first introduce myself, shall I? 

I'm 947P in London, Region 4. Too long to memorize for someone who hasn't been through all this but I remember it because I have to leave with it. Every day. This is all people know about me. I used to have a real name though. And real numbers that meant something, that could define who I am. Or who I used to be, rather. 

My real name is Matthew James Bellamy. I am 17 years old.  I was born on 9th of June 2159 in Teignmouth, Devon, southeast England. Got infected on 27th of March 2176, almost two months ago.

I was one of the luckiest, being one of the last ones to get infected. You don't see how I can be lucky? Well, the first person infected with that bitch was found approximately five years ago, so, yeah, I guess I could consider myself lucky. Having to live with this thing in your system for so many years and then being killed by the army must be a real pain. 

They had given a name to the virus back when the number of the victims was just negligible. During the first couple of years you had to say its name to have people understand what you were talking about. You don't need to do this anymore. You can simply say 'they're infected'. There's no way one is infected with anything more serious than this now.

Back then, when it started, nobody knew exactly what it was or how it could be cured or even whether it could be cured at all. It must have been three years after they stopped trying to find a cure, or it could be less; I can't remember anymore. But I can clearly remember the day when they announced that there wasn't a cure, all people infected doomed to the worst of fates. There wasn't hope anymore. For no one.

And that was what made people to not care anymore. I mean, what would you do if you knew you could die tomorrow?

Some would kill themselves, most of them without even waiting for the virus to get them. They needed to run away from it. I don't blame them. I would have done the same if I had allowed myself an option. 

Some others would kill each other, even without the excuse of the uncontrollable anger the virus triggered. Only during 2172 two million people committed suicide, a million killed each other and another three and a half millions were killed by the virus or the army. After that year things seemed to have calmed down a bit but whoever wandered around the streets during that year would never be able to forget what they saw and neither will I. 

Whatever the government thought, things had never truly calmed down – I guess they never will – anger was still boiling inside, waiting for the right moment to explode and once again take millions and millions of lives with it. As months went by and people slowly started to realize that government and army power could do nothing more than make them completely disappear of the face of the earth, they started fighting against them. People had started their own revolution with only their anger giving them the energy to continue as food supplies soon had run out. However, the lack of good timing and strategy let the army kill thousands of them in one night in every country. But they would still fight. Well, they were trying at least, right?

I could hear from outside the ship droves of people falling onto the fence around the camp, trying to break in and soldiers running around and barking commands against them. I laughed bitterly. Poor bastards. They didn't have a chance of getting in. Nor getting away.

The first bullets fell against them and the screams increased in volume, drowning the deadly moans of a couple of wounded people who miserably fell on the ground, nearing their death. They were smothered and suffocated under dozens of maddened feet that didn't seem to care. Animals.

I couldn't breathe properly now, like I was suffocating too under this iron bench. I took a couple of deep breaths only to realize it wouldn't help either me or those trying to escape their miserable lives out there. I curled up on my side, hugging my knees tightly against my chest struggling to ignore the knot that had now formed in my guts. I pinched the bridge of my nose and shut my eyes, clenching, trying to hold tears back – I promised you I'll be strong – but I couldn't. I couldn't help but let a couple flow across my face as I struggled unsuccessfully to close my ears, to stop the noise from coming in, but unfortunately my hands were busy keeping me from falling apart.

A soldier barked a command that I couldn't clearly make out though I already knew what it was. A loud roar of an engine coming to life and then a sparkling sound like electricity passing through hundreds of bodies broke through the camp. Screams and moans came to join the loud rustling of fire and suddenly the rustling of the fence ceased replaced by the sharp smell of burning flesh. 

I tried to take one breath but it hurt too much to breathe when I knew that some people out there couldn't anymore. I managed to inhale some short shaky breaths and let them out through my mouth. I had to calm down otherwise I would get myself killed. I promised I would come back.

"Pick up the bodies." ordered a voice as it came closer. A man now stood at the door of the ship and my ears perked up to pick up his words, lying completely still too scared to even breathe. "Come on. Come on! We're moving! C'mon!" he yelled. His heavy footsteps were followed by many more and twelve men jumped on the ship.

I pulled my cap on to cover my vibrant hair colour with shaky moves as they came to sit on the benches by the walls, their guns clinging together as they stirred. One went to drive and I let out a sigh of relief as quietly as I could. They hadn't noticed me, yet. However, I knew the next three hours were going to be rough.

When the virus started striking more and more victims many thought that it could be a great opportunity to make out the strong from the weak, the rich who could afford medicine to survive and the poor who couldn't. 

However, governments weren't to be so naïve, so fair even. NASA started searching for a planet which could host us, though I'm sure the search had been done ages ago, years before it all started; it was all an inside job. And our new home was soon top topic for everyone everywhere. It was the spark of hope everybody was looking for, a great new beginning. You could see bright with hope faces everywhere, like there wasn't the fear of a new victim anymore, like the virus had never existed. Why? Just imagine why. With the discovery of a planet similar to Earth people could leave their problems behind, forget the damage the virus had caused and start anew. And the thought that after such a discovery a cure could be found had poisoned everyone's minds. 

Why I say it was an inside job you ask? Well, I wouldn't say that some years ago but something never seemed quite right to me. Something always seemed to be wrong. And at the point I couldn't take all those lies anymore I started doing my own search and trying to keep track of the news we, average  citizens, were allowed access to. I started looking for old archive about how Earth was before my parents were even born. It hadn't changed too much. It was just like now: no trees, extinct animals, poisoned humans.

"How many did we get today?" asked the one sitting just above me on the bench. 

"Over 100! Isn't that insane!? It's even more than the last time!" I sighed and shut my eyes tightly to hold the sob that threatened to escape my throat. One hundred people were put out of their misery.

"People are just getting more and more crazy!" laughed one and I swallowed the urge to come out and spit in his f*cking face. They weren't going to make it easier for me, were they?

The engine of the ship roared and the ship rushed forward without a warning, forcing my body to slide to the back of the ship and turned on my back pressing my feet on the bottom of the bench above me to stop my body from hitting on the wall.

"Faggots" I mouthed when I noticed they hadn't even moved an inch. Why this all had to be so difficult for me?

"How many are being moved today?" asked a voice of a man who sounded older than the others.

"35 I think. They're the last."

"Out of 70?"

A man on the opposite bench nodded.

"Woah-ha!"

"They were all infected?"

"Nope. Only half of them." said another dude and I imagined him shrugging. My eyes widened in shock. I kind of knew what those people were up to but this? This was a whole new thing. A genocide. "They demanded from the base that today was the last drove to bring on and there weren't enough ships to take them." he said, his words mixed with the rustling of his weapons as he searched for something in his backpack.

"Well, they were gonna end up dead anyway." another man laughed and stood up to imitate the infected, staggering around and making weird noises, and everybody else cracked up laughing too. Morons.

I couldn't listen to this bullshit anymore. Just a bit more and I would try to kill them all until they killed me. That would be a pity. I pulled my cap farther down to cover my ears and pressed the side of my face hard on the dusty floor to muffle the voices. The noise of the engine made my head start aching but soon lulled me to sleep.

The engine suddenly stopped roaring and my eyes shot open as my heart started racing again. I raised my head just a bit from the floor and listened carefully to figure out what was going on. I heard the door sliding open and the soldiers jumped out on the alien ground. The door slid close again leaving me alone in the ship. I had approximately five minutes before they came to disinfect the ship. I had to get out fast.

I shifted around under the bench and pulled myself out as my legs frantically kicked the floor to push me up. I looked around and tiptoed fast to the exit. I pressed my ear to the metal door and listened carefully for a moment. I frowned. Nothing. All I could hear was just...silence. My instinct told me something was certainly wrong but my hands didn't give it a second thought as I pushed the button. The door slid open painfully slow and the sudden light dazzled me forcing me to squint. I blindly took a wary step forward and then I heard a loud click near my head followed by many others that seemed to be coming from just meters away from me in a semicircle.

I blinked, shocked, as five soldiers stood in a semicircle in front of me with their guns poised toward me while another one pressed the tip of his gun on the back of my head.  I closed my eyes for a second and gulped, trying to ignore the sudden wave of nausea that settled in my stomach. I took a sharp deep breath in through my nose. The tip of the gun poked the back of my head again and my eyes opened reluctantly. I raised my arms to show surrender and noticed for the first time that I was shaking. I gulped again against the lump in my throat. Was that it?


	2. Chapter 2

"Walk." barked a voice close to his ear. He did as he was told in case any objection would have a bullet planted deep in his brain and pursed his lips not to show any fear. He was fucked wasn't he.

He walked forward between the soldiers, recognising a couple that were on the ship before. How the hell had they noticed him? Well, apparently he wasn't the god of stealth as he had thought.

As they walked, for the first time now he was taking in his surroundings. It was nothing like what he'd seen in his life before. Looking up in the starry sky, among the millions of shimmering stars he could see two spheres were hovering above them, half of them illuminated by a star, not so far from here that he couldn't see just yet. A pang of sadness hit his chest as he realised he wasn't sure if he would live long enough as to see this alien Sun. But, come on, he was in space! That thought made him feel warm inside, happy even. Even if he died now he knew he had made his biggest dream come true. For a second every trace of fear about what was to come had disappeared. He didn't even care if they'd kill him. However, it was now that he wanted to live more than ever before.

The huge building which they were heading to blocked his view and he pouted. Annoyed he took a step back. But, misjudging that, he stepped on the soldier's foot. Before he could even apologize or something the cold metal handle of his gun crushed on his head hard enough to knock him on the ground. With a groan he wriggled on the ground trying to get up but another stroke threw him face first on the ground gasping. He squatted down above him and took his cap off Matt's head. He heard him letting out a quiet malicious laughter as his hair appeared from under the cap. He pulled at it hard to make his head tilt back and Matt gasped in pain, gritting his teeth not to do anything stupid.

"Keep walking if you don't want this up your arse." he whispered in his ear, showily waving his gun in front of his face, and pulled him to his feet by his hair. Matt groaned in pain as he started walking again, following the soldier who steadily paced some meters in front of him and trying to ignore his snicker.

He walked to the pad by the main entrance and quickly typed in a code that Matt couldn't make out though he knew it could be useful in the future. If he was alive until that moment that is. He pressed his palm on the scanner and a second later the door was open leading to a maze of white corridors and cold metal doors. They headed some meters straight and then turned left before they turned right and went on to another maze after going through another gigantic metal door. Nothing changed really. Nothing that could maybe help him memorize a useful route. Everything was white, pure white and empty.

At last, after a long walk through dead corridors and a terrible headache constantly forcing his eyes to close for seconds before he was woken by the bastard behind him, they met a person. 

"Max." he greeted the Bastard with a jerk of his chin "Where are you going?"

"Taking this to Baker's" he said pointing at Matt.

"Intruder?"

"Yes."

"Hey, I'm n-" Matt went to say he wasn't actually an intruder and defend himself, you know, just in case he had a chance to survive this but Mr Bastard - yes, that would be his name from now on - interrupted him with a stroke of his gun to the small of his back.

"Shut up!" he staggered a bit before he could find my balance. _Well_ , thought Matt. That dude was really getting on his nerves.

"He's out right now." said the guy politely.

"Out? And where the hell am I supposed to take this then?" he huffed angrily and rolled his eyes "C'mon. I don't have all fucking day. Let's just get this over with." he huffed and with this he drew his weapon at him  pressing it hard on the back of his neck. Matt squealed as he tried to escape but his hand wouldn't let go of his arm. Matt stopped squirming and focused to anything but what was happening, hoping that he at least wouldn't feel anything. 

"Take him to Howard's." said the guy calmly as if nothing had happened just as he felt his arm moving, ready to pull the trigger. "I think he's having a break but he'll know what to do with him." 

"Ahh." grunted Mr Bastard and rolled his eyes again with disappointment but took the cold metal away from his neck. He let out the breath he was holding in with a sigh of great relief. "Fine. Walk." he ordered.

They walked all the way back and again through another maze of insanely white corridors until they reached a dead end and there was only one door. 

"Hopper." said loudly Mr Bastard and it seemed like he was trying to pronounce the name clearly enough for another person to understand it. Whoever that person in the other room was the door slid open within a second, letting them in. 

"Yeah, yeah. I'll call you later." said a deep voice from behind the desk but Matt couldn't see a face. Only a mess of dirty blonde hair was sticking from the top of the back of his chair. "What?" he asked them – or rather, Mr Bastard and the other two – with a slightly annoyed sigh that was masked by his flat uninterested tone. He turned around, pressing the button to the delicate headset on his head to end the call and looked at them with the blankest stare he could manage, Matt imagined. He signalled them all to take their helmets off and to Matt's surprise they were all shaved. 

The blond scanned all the faces in the room with the same uninterested look just as his voice sounded when we walked in and every one of the soldiers lowered their eyes when he looked at them, leaving Matt wonder what kind of weird shit was going on there but he shrugged it off. If he was lucky enough he'd get to know all the little traditions of this new world.

Finally, his eyes scanned Matt's face and just as their eyes met he could understand why those people looked away. His eyes were... beautiful and he knew that somebody would find this _so gay_ but it was true. They were kind, yet conveyed a strong feeling of dominance. And they were grey. And Matt found them beautiful in the weirdest way since he hated grey as much as these people. Truth is it was hard to look at him, but he forced his eyes to stay focused on his.

"Well, well! What'd we have here?" he said as he rolled his chair and gracefully walked around his desk and up to Matt to pry him closer.

"We found him on the ship today, sir." Mr Bastard said quietly and he could hear the slightest trace of fear in his voice. _Oh wow,_ snickered Matt. _So Mr Bastard wasn't as tough as he seemed to be. Interesting._

"Oh!" he said amusedly "An intruder?"

"Yes, sir."

Suddenly, the blond turned around and hit his fist hard on top of his desk, the sound making the soldiers, as well as Matt, to flinch a bit. 

"You are supposed to inspect the ship prior to departure!" he yelled in Mr Bastard's face, obviously frustrated. 

"I know. But there was a drove of the inf-"

"One more fucking story about the infected and I'll send you down there to burn with them!" 

"Yes, sir." he shook his head and gulped audibly, looking at his feet, the slightest bead of sweat started forming on his shiny scalp.

And suddenly, as fast as the blond's face had turned into the dreadful boss, he seemed to have shifted moods again.

"So, boy. How'd you got on the ship?" he asked, his eyes full of interest, pacing up and down in front of his desk, his eyes never leaving Matt's face. Matt looked up at him and hesitated. He wanted to defend himself, as always, and throw all the lies he had made up in his face but the last time he tried to speak he practically had the air beat out of him. When he didn't respond, the blonde's face fell and he raised one questioning eyebrow. "Are you deaf or what?"

"I-I.." Matt shook his head and blinked, quite startled by all his sudden mood shifts. "I'm not an intruder."

"Oh? You're not?" he stopped pacing and Matt shook his head again.

"No."

"Hmm. Interesting." he giggled and walked behind his desk plopping down on his luxurious chair. "What's your name again, love?" _Love?_

"I – My name's – err.."

"Nice to meet you 'err'." he said in a serious tone and nearly got him giggling like a moron, as nervousness and fear had started to settle in his stomach. He was trying to drive him insane didn't he. Or maybe he was insane himself. Matt couldn't really tell.

"I'm Matt...Roberts! Matt Roberts." he lied. His fingers tapped on the touch screen of his desk and his eyes followed them. He raised his eyebrows and looked up at him with the most derogatory, incredulous look. Unfortunately, he didn't seem like the guy you could easily fool.

"Weird. Your name's not on the list, Matthew." he said casually as he stood up. _Shit._ He'd forgotten the list.

"Um, yeah, yeah, of course. 'Cause, y'know, it was, like, umm...th-the last moment that they added my name..." Matt explained, his hands moving and twitching behind his back as he spoke. "Yeah.." he looked at him again. No. He hadn't fooled him. Matt gulped.

"Oh, is that so?" he asked sweetly as he stared into his eyes.

"Y-Yes..." he murmured as he looked at his feet, shaking. He laughed.

"Good then!" came his excited voice again and he walked back to his desk. "Now that everyth-"

"Do you seriously believe him!?" asked Mr Bastard and the blond turned to face him.

"Excuse me?" he giggled, disbelief filling his voice.

"He's a fucking liar!" Matt looked at his feet, eyes widening in fear. If he agreed now he was officially fucked.

"Alright." he smirked and walked to stand in front of him. "First of all," he used his fingers to count "don't shout at me or I'll have Jack rip your fucking arse." he tilted his head, "Second, don't curse in my office and third, yes, I believe him and you don't have any objection to him working with you I suppose, do you?"

"What!?" the blond rolled his eyes and huffed.

"What did I just tell you?"

"But, sir, I can't-"

"Ahh fine! I'm gonna keep him." he evilly smirked at Matt. "Now, take him to the basement." he ordered and the smile left his face at once, Matt's eyes widening in fear to his words.

"Yes, sir." murmured the Bastard and grabbed his arms. Matt looked up at him with his eyes pleading. He don't know what for and he had no idea why he had turned to him for help but he was scared. Really scared.

"Good night." he sang, looking at him as he was dragged out of the room.

They practically dragged him through the corridors as he couldn't keep up with their fast pace. Again his instinct kicked in and he had to find a way to memorize the route to the basement and how long it would take him to go back to the blond's office and having nothing but white walls and matching doors he decided to count the doors, realizing that it took approximately the same time to walk from door to door. Five doors, one elevator and three floors down later they were walking – running actually – between cells protected with deadly lasers, prisoners pathetically leaning against the walls, wounds and dried blood staining almost every bit of exposed skin. His stomach churned at the outrageous image. 

He noticed they were leading hm to the far end of the illuminated part of the corridor where, on the left, there was a gap on the wall forming another cell, identical to every single one he had seen on his way here. Dirty and pathetic. As he was dragged there, their steps never slowing down, he glanced at the dark section of the prison where light couldn't reach, wondering what was there. Maybe just a section of the prison that never up until now had to be used before. Maybe there was just another creepy part of the huge basement he was currently in or maybe...it was something else. Something that not even the nearly dead prisoners were allowed to witness. 

Mr Bastard snapped him out of his trance by ejecting him into his cell. He staggered and fell to the ground, face first, and groaned not so much in pain but in shock. He turned his head and glared at the guard who stood a couple of meters away, mockingly looking down at him. Matt huffed and struggled to turn his body around with his wrists still tied behind his back and finally adjusted himself in what maybe could be called a sitting position. He laughed maliciously, his yellow teeth showing, and shook his head.

"So pathetic." he said quietly dragging the first word out.

Matt grinned, half as a sign that his anger was about to cross the line where he was still able to restrain himself and half as a chance to cover his freaking out as he slowly started realising that was the place where he was going to spend the night.

He laughed one more time before he turned around to leave.

"Hey!" Matt called at him and his eyes shot back at him with an expression of pure anger registered on his face. "Aren't you gonna remove these?" he half-asked half-whined turning his torso slightly as to show his cuffed arms. "They've fucked my wrists." 

As Matt had guessed he didn't move. Neither to punch him nor to untie him. He just turned his body to face Matt and his eyes turned into sly, mocking ones.

"Why?" he asked. 

"Why what?" Matt asked raising an eyebrow. This wasn't going to end up well, he knew.

"Wanna play?" he jerked his chin towards Matt's crotch, his eyebrow now shooting up sky high. 

"Excuse me?" he giggled.

"Wanna have a bit of fun and the cuffs won't let you, huh?" he said in a mock pity tone. _Pff,_ Matt thought.  _I'll play along._

"Would be nice." he shrugged one shoulder and smiled, looking at him through his eyelashes. He laughed again, obviously finding this entertaining. "Wanna join?"

His brows furrowed and his lips became a straight line. 

"What are you talking about, dickhead?" Matt chuckled.

"You know, if you wanna watch you can just sit t-" he didn't see him coming towards him and once again found himself quite lost when a strong fist collided with him jaw, throwing his head backwards on the wall. He fell on the ground, feeling dizzy for the second time since he had arrived on this planet.

"Ungh!!" he groaned in pain as a kick was planted in his ribs and curled in a ball on the floor, pressing his sore chin on his knees as his hands were still tied.

"Sleep well, motherfucker." he literally spat on him. Matt only managed to open one eye to watch him leave the cell and the laser bars coming to life before he closed it again and drifted into unconsciousness.


	3. Chapter 3

"Wakey, wakey!" shouted a familiar voice as his body was brutally yanked off the floor.

His eyes shot open wide in surprise and his tried to gain his balance while being forced to stand on his feet. They dragged him through corridors like the night before. After a five-minute walk, he assumed, they stopped in front of a door - the only one in the corridor they were currently in - and the shorter one pressed some buttons to form a code. Matt's eyes scanned the pad as his finger tapped on it, trying to memorize the code, but Mr Bastard turned his face the other direction, squeezing his jaw way too hard for his liking.

The door opened with a beep when the pad read 'access granted' in bright green. They both grabbed his arms once again and pulled him inside another room and past the complex control panel in the center of it. They guided me to another door, and when it opened, they dragged him inside. One removed the handcuffs while the other started removing his clothes, throwing them in a metal box outside the small chamber to his right. 

"Hey! What the hell are you doing!?" Matt tried to protest, struggling to get his arms free from their grip. 

"Hey, you asshole!" he said as he yanked at Matt's arm to cease his protest "Just stay still so we can get this over with." he growled. Matt tried to get free again but they held him tight. They stretched his arms above his head and secured them with a new pair of cuffs that were attached to a metal bar just above him, his feet barely touching the floor. 

He started sweating as anxiety kicked in and his heartbeat started raising. It's not only the tremendous embarrassment he felt. At that moment, honestly, he thought he was going to be assaulted. And yet he was being self-conscious. 

They both left the room and let him hanging there. They moved behind the control panel and the door slid shut. Then he could hear nothing, apart from his heart beating against his ribcage and he was happy that he actually found it relaxing. _I must have some serious mental issues_ , he thought to himself.

The sound of water flowing in pipes above his head startled him and suddenly hot fluid splashed on him, coming from every direction in the chamber with great force, hitting on his skin.

"AAAH!" he screamed in shock. He started squirming and tagging on the cuffs and kicking to get free. It wasn't that he wasn't a fan of showering. It was just that he wasn't a fan of showering with his hands cuffed and he wasn't fan of showering while being watched. The water hitting his skin actually hurt with the force it was coming, not too much, but just enough to cause discomfort.  After some seconds, though, he just accepted the fact that he'd stay there until they got him out and the hot water actually made his muscles relax.

The water flow soon ceased. He breathed into the steam, listening to the sound of drops trickling into the water paddle that had formed on the tile floor now. A droplet escaped his damp hair and ran down his nose tickling it. He turned his head to rub it on his shoulder and get rid of the itch when he noticed an ivory patch of skin on his forearm. The scar.

_The scar._

His eyes shot wide open as he felt a kick of anxiety in his stomach. What if they noticed it? If they noticed it he was dead. And now he was completely exposed. He couldn't hide it, could he? His eyes scanned the room past the glass door just in time to see them both coming closer. One pressed a button by the door and it slid open letting them in. As they both walked to him to uncuff him He tried to relax his mortified expression and his right arm instinctively tagged at the cuff.

"Do you thing I'm fucking enjoying this?" Mr Bastard growled in his ear. "I'd rather fucking cut you in pieces, you know." he snarled and Matt's arms were both freed at the same time, letting his feet touch the floor. He lost balance for a moment but didn't have the time to fall as he was dragged out of the small chamber.

They sat him down on a rusty bench and threw a sleek white uniform at him. 

"Wear it." they ordered.

"This?" Matt raised an eyebrow in disbelief, wondering how many people had been in this before him. Mr Bastard looked at him over his shoulder obviously gritting his teeth not to strangle him. "Nope." Matt said firmly.

"What now?" he asked, jaw tense.

"I want my clothes."

"Look, boy" he angrily giggled and came closer, squatting to come to his eye level  "I don't have time for this." he warned, shaking his head.

"I don't care. Just give me my clothes back and you can take me back to my cell." 

He laughed, his stubbornness obviously driving him borderline insane. He walked to the box where he'd thrown my clothes before and turned around to face him. He smiled evilly at him as his eyes followed his arm as it felt up the wall and suddenly pressed a button. Flames danced out of the box followed by the sizzling of fabric consumed by fire. Matt's mouth fell agape and tears blurred his vision as anger started boiling inside of him.

"What. Have. You. DONE!" he screamed and stood up charging towards him. His fist went to crush on his face when a pair of strong arms grabbed his from behind. "You motherfucker!" Matt cried while being pulled backwards on the bench.

"I'll carry you naked if I have to." he said throwing the nasty uniform in his face once again. Matt only looked up at him for a second, gritting his teeth and trying to restrain his anger. He sighed and slipped into the uniform feeling waves of disgust running up and down his spine. 

They took him back to his cell and once again he was left alone. he curled up in the corner and clenched his jaw shutting his eyes tightly when the first tear flowed down on the floor. He took in a shaky breath and let it out. He hadn't felt this angry since the day he infected my mother. That was the only day up until now that he wanted to kill a person so much. The only difference was that that time back then it was himself he wanted to kill. And now it was different. They could take his everything, they could humiliate him, torture him, even kill him, but not mess with his past. And it was sad that apparently he couldn't do anything about it. He couldn't react and defend who he was. 

He hugged his knees close to his chest feeling cold all of a sudden. The first shiver ran up his spine to end up in his jaw making it tremble uncontrollably. He couldn't for sure say if the shivers were because of his anger or because of his body cooling down after being warmed up by the hot water. 

The sad part, though, was how strongly this reminded him of home. Despite being extremely hot more often than not there were nights that were cold. Those nights, when he was shivering like this, his mum would cover him with a blanket. And it was not the action that stunned him every time. It was the affection that came with it. She cared for him even after what he'd done to her, like nothing had ever happened. She loved him more than anyone ever did. That's why he had to be here now. 

A new wave of tears followed but it soon was over again as his head started feeling hazy and he drifted off sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

A loud clinging sound woke him up and he painfully opened his eyes to slits. A glass of water was lying there on the floor near the laser bars and a plate with gruel was next to it. Great. They didn't want him to die. 

He closed his eyes again and tried to fall back to sleep but his stomach protested with a loud growl. He hadn't eaten in two days. He was starving and he was thirsty. The smell of the hot gruel hit him in the nose and his mouth started watering and it felt like his senses suddenly became more acute. He wanted to get up and devour whatever that plate had in it but yet he didn't. If they fed him, if they kept him alive they could have him here forever and do whatever they wanted to him. All Matt wanted was to find the cure and go back home. However, he knew he couldn't do that if he didn't try to keep himself alive. He had to keep himself alive by all means. 

He opened his eyes and rolled around to face the food. He stood in all my fours ignoring the sharp pain that ran through his entire body and crawled there. He grabbed the spoon and started gobbling down the gruel. The taste was no better than he had expected but his stomach gratefully accepted it. He licked the last traces of the gruel in the plate and proceeded to drink the cool water with just a couple of big sips.

He crawled back to his corner and sat there leaning my back on the wall. He rubbed his stomach slightly panting from eating with such speed and closed his eyes as the full feeling took over. 

"Seems like you enjoyed your lunch. Matthew Roberts." commented a voice, the two last words said in a rather sarcastic tone.

Matt's eyes shot open to see the blond from yesterday standing behind the laser bars smiling widely down at him. Matt stood up to face him, trying to stay away from the wall in an attempt to mask the fear that was about to take its toll on him, yet stand away from the bars in case he had to defend himself once again.

"Calm down, Matt. We're here just to talk." said his calm voice, as two guards appeared in the corridor behind him.

"Yeah, right." Matt managed to get the words out, letting a breathy sarcastic laugh escape his lips for good measure. 

"I have an offer to make." 

Matt jerked my chin toward him. "Go on."

"I can get you out of here."

"Sure you can." he said sarcastically "What do you want from me?"

"Just come to my office so we can talk about some things." he smiled. "What'd you think?"

He stood there for some seconds, weighing his options. But what options did he really have? At least if he agreed to go with him there was a possibility that he was being honest and he'd get out of here. Get out of here and be sent where? There was only one way to know.

"Okay." Matt nodded.

He smiled for a moment and took a step closer to the laser bars.

"Now, I won't put cuffs on you, okay?" he said, slightly nodding his head to get his warning through. Matt just nodded and his fingers immediately pressed some buttons on the panel on the wall, the laser bars disappearing immediately. "Don't try anything silly."

Matt walked forward towards him and the two guards. When a mere meter separated them they went to grab his arms as they've done several times before but the blond signalled them with a fluid motion of his hand to let him go and he gave him a sweet smile. Matt didn't trust him but he had to give it a chance.

They walked the now somehow familiar route to his office, him leading the way while Matt was walking between him and the guards. He entered the spacious room and walked around his glass desk to plop down on his luxurious chair. He gestured to the only chair in front of his desk, not even close to as comfortable as his own seemed to be, allowing Matt to take a seat and intertwined his fingers on the glass surface. Matt sat down as he was told, shifting in his chair as he tried to get more comfortable, his eyes not leaving his face once. Matt looked up to meet his gaze and he heard a pair of weapons rustling behind him. He took his eyes off Matt to glare at them for a split second before he jerked his head to the left and they practically ran out of the room. Matt looked around and to his disappointment they were alone. He couldn't be sure if being alone with him and without the guards was a good thing or not. He rubbed my sweaty palms together nervously.

"So, Matt." he smiled leaning back in his chair "I hope your stay here wasn't too much of a traumatic experience."

Matt just stared at him without answering, half frozen in shock and half frozen in fear as all the images of the previous day came to the front of his mind again.

"I'm sorry, Matt but it had to be done. Coming here from Earth puts everyone in great danger so the decontamination had to be done."

Matt didn't move again. He didn't know how to answer politely to that. He was afraid that if he attempted to open his mouth he'd start shouting or just spit in his face. Both these actions would have him dragged back to his cell and he would never get out again.

He sighed and leaned closer to his desk, extending his hand towards Matt.

"I'm Dominic Howard." he smiled, tilting his head a bit "But you can call me Dom."

Matt sarcastically raised one eyebrow at him, still not moving. 

He sighed again, only this one was a bit more annoyed, a bit more impatient. Matt was getting on his nerves. _Cool_.

"Listen, Matt. I know we haven't start off well but you need to trust me because I want to help you."

"Why?" Matt asked and his voice sounded unusually hoarse.

"I just..." a quiet giggle escaped his lips "I just see something in you that most people here wouldn't. It would be a waste if somebody got rid of you. You're strong...and you have a great skill of stealth. Am I right?"

"I'm not an intruder-"

"Yes, Matt. I know. I didn't say you are. I'm just quite impressed. Tell me. How did you manage to get on our ship without being noticed?"

Matt stared at him for some seconds, weighing his options, pondering whether he should tell him about that grenade of his accidentally blowing their ship up or choose a more evasive answer.  

He crossed his arms on his chest  and put on a smug smile before answering.

"I just happen to have a great skill of stealth." he answered to his question with his own words.

"Of course. I already know that." he said impatiently. "So...Do you happen to know anything about that ship exploding back there?" he questioningly squinted and tilted his head to one side.

 Matt wasn't sure whether or not his façade showed any trace of nervousness but his insides were without a doubt so messed up and tensed, so much that he would vomit if he wasn't struggling so much to stay calm. 

"I don't know who did it..." Matt nodded with a hint of a smile on his lips. "But it surely helped."

"Oh!" he smiled "I'm glad to hear that."

"So?" Matt dared to say, his patience wearing thin.

He leaned on his desk again to come closer, staring into Matt's eyes again just like he had when he had arrived here.

"So...As I said you are a clever man and I know you can tell what's the best for everyone, hm? And to get to my point, you have to work for me." Matt frowned in disbelief.

"W-Work for you?"

"Yeah." he smiled excitedly "Be my yes-man in a way. And you're going to be trained in the army as well."

"You..." Matt snorted as a wave of panic ran through him "You're kidding. Right?"

"No. Not at all." he frowned and shook his head, being almost dead serious apart from a hint of sarcasm in his voice. He was so much enjoying the thought of him as his slave, running around doing errands and working his arse off in the army. But there was something more to it than just this. Matt was sure about it. He wanted something more, something he was determined to get no matter what. He was only afraid of when he was going to let him know what it was. "We're gonna have so much fun!" he said smiling widely.

Matt gritted his teeth as he thought of the possible options. There were none. Apart from killing himself, that is. He tried to understand which irritated him the most; the fact that he had to agree to that or his smug face.

Matt nodded without making eye contact, clenching his fists to hide his anger.

He smiled and exclaimed "Great!" clapping once. 

Matt was so angry he was about to explode. When he had jumped onto the ship he had never imagined this. Living in the streets and hiding like a runaway, yes. Stealing to survive, yes. Killing everyone and going back home, yes. But this would have never crossed his fucked up mind. He was feeling so disappointed. So mad at himself. But he knew he had to do it. It was for her after all.

He stood up from his chair and walked around his desk and up to Matt. He extended his arm offering his hand for him to take. Matt looked up to see him staring at him, smug and smiling as always.

"Come on. I'll show you to the dormitory." he said kindly. 

 Matt gave him one more look and stood up, ignoring his hand. He smiled sweetly again and started walking.

We went down a couple of floors without saying a word, only exchanging short wary looks. Matt followed him silently as he exited the building heading to another one, identical to the main one, on our left. 

"Hi, John." he greeted a guy who was smoking  a cigarette leaning on the crisp white wall. The guy greeted back with a simple jerk of his chin and proceeded on taking another lazy drag of his cigarette. 

Matt watched Dom taking his card out from his front pocket and sliding it through a scanner on the wall. The door opened and the interior wasn't different than he had expected. Everything was in shades of white and surprisingly Matt'd started getting used to it. We walked in and headed to the first door on their right.

"Here's your room." he said, turning to face him and opening the door with another card that he pulled out of his pocket. "Don't lose it." he warned handing Matt the card. Matt took it and pried it closer. It read his new name; Matthew Roberts. Matt quietly snorted.

He extended his arm towards the room to urge him in, that smile that irritated him so much never leaving his face. Matt walked inside with wary steps, taking in his new surroundings. It was austere and simple with only the basic furniture a room needed; a bed, a small table, a chair and a small cabinet. No windows. 

He felt his eyes burning on his back and turned around to face him. He was leaning on the door frame with a smug smirk drawn all over his face, arms crossed on his chest.

"The bathroom's around the corner." he said with a gesture.

Matt nodded.

"Enjoy your stay." he sang pressing the button on the wall to shut the door as he walked away.

Matt sighed, his shoulders sinking in as he at last relaxed, not being able to keep on having that strong, indifferent façade anymore. Getting a place to sleep away from that cell in the basement was a blessing but he couldn't help but being slightly worried. He had to look strong in front of him. He didn't want to give him the chance to take advantage of his weaknesses.

He looked around the room at the metallic furniture that was painted white like this entire place, the crisp white bed sheets, at the dark blue walls and the grey carpeted floor. No matter how cold it looked Matt couldn't complain. At least it had some colour. 

Looking a bit higher toward the ceiling he noticed cameras on all the four corners of the room.

"Of course..." he murmured looking at his feet, giggling bitterly.

He couldn't trust him. That's what he was worried about. He couldn't just want Matt because he was special. Matt wasn't special. He couldn't fool him. There was something else that he didn't know, something that he hadn't noticed yet.

He turned around and walked over to the bed. He fell there flat on his back, arms behind his head. He took in a deep breath, hoping it would give him a bit of strength, and let it out. It didn't do much. 

Matt had to make a plan. He had to be ready. He had to be ready for everything that could come his way. He had to be ready for the moment Dom would reveal his real self and stab him in the back. He could be keeping him just because he wasn't feeling like making his own coffee every morning or doing his laundry and he needed his personal maid. But Matt knew it couldn't be this simple. It was more complicated. He wasn't extremely intelligent but he wasn't dumb either. He had a plan while Matt didn't. He could be planning to keep him as his pet and then get rid of him when he felt like it. 

However, knowing how sick power was able to make you, Matt could just be the subject to perform experiments on. Maybe what he wanted from him was secret information about some kind of gang back on Earth. Of course he wouldn't be able to tell him not knowing a thing and he would eventually be useless to him. Either way he wasn't truly necessary to him. Did he have a choice though? He would be dead in the end. 

What made him sadder, though, wasn't the fact itself. It was the sorrow my death would cause to people who loved him. Matt wouldn't get to find the cure. He'd fail him mission. He'd let down the only person he had left. And he'd had made her suffer a slow painful death. He'd have practically killed her. Maybe they could meet on the other side though. If there ever was such thing that is.


	5. Chapter 5

The next morning Matt was woken up by the light buzz of the door as it slid open and Mr Bastard stormed in. 

Matt shot up clenching the sheets and struggling to hide as much skin as possible. He didn't quite trust him after the last time they'd met. And now this. He could at least have knocked.

"Get up." he said firmly. Matt giggled.

"You don't want me to." he warned him, raising his eyebrows hoping he'll get the message.

"I'm not-"

"Trust me, you don't."

"Don't make me come there get you." he said standing close to the door.

"What the fuck d'you want?" he whined.

"I have orders to show you around." he announced in a rather disgusted tone. 

"Aw, how nice of you!" he smiled sweetly.

"Get the hell up 'cause I don't have all day." he grunted taking a threatening step forward.

"Alright, alright!" Matt hurried to say, raising his arms for a split second, enough to let the blanket fall in his lap, and quickly grabbed it and pulled it up to his chest again. "At least give me a moment of privacy?" he added, eyeing his naked body under the covers.

"Don't make me come get you!" he gave him a warning look but that wasn't working on him.

"Let me put some pants on!" Matt shouted, emphasizing every syllable and hoping he'd got through this time.

"Come on, kid. It's not like it's gonna be the first time." he laughed humourlessly.

"Oh!" he giggled "I knew you were into that!" he winked.

"You fucking brat!" he barked and rushed toward him with heavy steps. 

Matt screamed and bucked, falling backwards onto his bed  and hiding under the sheets. He felt him pulling the blanket and clawing on it in an attempt to grab him and pull him out as Matt kept squirming and squeaking. 

"AAAH! You f*cker!" Matt screamed as a strong hand grabbed his leg from his ankle and started pulling him out of the safety of the duvet.

"It's okay, Max. I got this now." said a calm smiling voice and his hand instantly let go of Matt's leg.

Matt threw the blanket off his head to see the third person in the room and was honestly surprised to see Dom standing there, holding his arms behind his back in an upright haughty posture.

"Sir." murmured Mr Bastard standing up straight saluting Dom.

"You can go now. I'll show Matt around." he looked at him smiling as always.

"Sir, I-"

"You're dismissed, Max." he said even more seriously.

Max did as he was told and Dom's expression changed to a smiling one again.

"Take your time and get dressed, Matt. I'll be waiting outside." he smirked and walked out.

Matt sat there staring at the door in shock for several seconds before he could move. Dom had come to his room bright and early to show him around? Well, that was...unexpected. He didn't really see him as the friendly type as much as the dreadful cold-hearted boss and this wouldn't change his opinion of him. However, Matt couldn't deny that this was rather surprising. What was it that made him walk to the dorm and come in his room just on time to save him from that Max-guy, he couldn't exactly imagine. His mind thought of several different scenarios as he sat there, processing them to see how valid they actually were. He was on to something but he couldn't figure out what just yet.

When he got out of bed he slipped in his uniform as fast as he could in fear that somebody would burst in again. 

Staying here has made him really self-conscious he noted with a frown as he stood in front of the door.

He took a deep breath in running his fingers through his hair. Breathing out, he pressed the button by the door and it slid open revealing Dom's smirking face.

"Good morning, Matt." 

"'Morning." Matt murmured, scratching the back of his neck.

"Ready?" he asked half turned around urging him to start walking.

"Yeah, sure." he replied, following him as he started walking towards the exit.

"Gimme your card." he ordered, holding his hand out until Matt handed him the card.  "So," he said, stopping by the door facing the panel "first of all, you'll have to check out every morning at 8" he slid the card over the scanner on the panel and the door opened, "and check in" he looked at me pointing to the panel on the wall outside "every night at 10. No exceptions."

"Well, what if I don't wanna wake up at 8?" Matt questioned, partly because he was curious and partly because he had a feeling this question would internally piss him off.

"You're gonna be in trouble." he simply said in a calm, neutral tone, to Matt's astonishment.

Matt nodded, frowning. He offered the card for him to take but took it back as soon as he reached to grab it.

"Am I clear?"

"Yes." Matt replied rolling my eyes but when he looked back at him he was met with one quirked disapproving eyebrow. "Sir...?" he murmured and internally winced to the sound of it. But even though being that typical and obedient irritated him to a great extend that was the way to gaining his trust.

He giggled and handed him the card which Matt shoved back into his pocket. 

"So, after you checked out you meet up with the other privates and for  training which you're going to skip today." he playfully smiled down at him. "Then you'll probably be starving so you can have breakfast over there at the Cafeteria." he continued in a cheerful tone like he was his tour guide pointing out the must spots in his vacation destination. Matt suspiciously glanced at the huge building on their left which read 'cafeteria' in big bold letters. He was pretty sure breakfast was compulsory.

"You wanna go have a bite?" he asked as he noticed Matt's eyes fixed on it.

"No. I'm fine." Matt said firmly and turned his look away from the cafeteria already feeling nauseous to the idea of sitting there with a bunch of huge muscular guys. Sure, he was in the army now and for him it was just above school and just below prison. Both school and prison seemed equally frightening. He wasn't feeling ready to be humiliated or raped in the shower. He wasn't looking forward to getting to meet the other privates. 

"Alright then." he smiled and we started walking again. 

"Generally, you shouldn't be worried about people treating you bad here." he said like he could read his thoughts. "Unless you cause trouble you're not going to be in trouble. People here are very well trained in every aspect concerning their social interactions in order to avoid riots. Everyone's very well behaved and obedient-"

"Everyone?" Matt questioned sarcastically, having a specific person in mind.

"Well," he giggled, eyeing him for a brief second "Of course there are exceptions that we're trying to gradually lead down the right path." he smiled. "Like you."

"What?" Matt snorted, raising his eyebrows in disbelief. He thought he already had something special.

"You will adapt to the norms soon."

"What if I don't want to?" I shot back.

"Well, unfortunately we can't let that happen. Unless you create trouble you're not going to be in trouble, remember?" he gave him a smile and faced away, starting to pace a bit faster.

"Where are we going?" Matt asked curiously as they were now heading to a door that read 'exit' in big letters that he's never seen before.

"I figured you'd want to see the city." 

"Are you being serious?!" Matt gasped and he nodded, not turning to face him but smiling smugly to himself.

"What did you think when I said I was going to show you around?" he giggled playfully.

"I don't know! Show me around the facilities, I guess." he said scratching the back of his head nervously. He had caught him by surprise. Matt thought he'd stay here forever, and actually staying to that filthy basement seemed like forever, but now he was at last going to go out, see the day light. 

He laughed and took his card out of his pocket.

"Ready?"

"Yeah!" Matt replied unable to contain his enthusiasm. He was so pumped his hands had started to sweat and shake with excitement.

He opened the door and stepped out with me following close behind.

Upon feeling the warmth of the sun on my skin he gasped. It was even more beautiful than he had expected, than he remembered from that night he first set foot on this new world. High buildings sprawling to the horizon, sunlight reflecting on their glass made surfaces giving everything an outlandish glow. Green gardens blooming between every block of buildings. The streets were full of people strolling along the pavements as bizarre vehicles passed by with a low pleasant buzz. The sky was blue, not much different from that back home, except here the blue was clearer than he'd ever seen it and puffy clouds were slowly floating across it . The air smelled like grass and sun, nothing like the chemical filled air that he used to breathe in every day in the seventeen years of his life.

"You like it?" Dom asked quietly leaning closer.

"Yeah!" Matt laughed, excitement filling his voice. "It's..." he lightly shook his head struggling to find a word that would describe the feeling this new scenery caused. "Gorgeous."

"C'mon." he said with the smile that never seemed to leave his lips.

They walked down the crisp white marble steps to blend in with the crowd; people care-freely walking to every direction but never pushing or even touching each other as they were walking by. They crossed the busy street and, to Matt's complete surprise, the cars stopped for them to pass without them having to signal them or scream in fear of being run over. That was something that Earth as he'd known it - a complete chaos - had never seen. People seemed to always be in a hurry, always filled with anger and despair. 

They kept walking through the crowd, none of them talking, just admiring. Everything was so different, so...bizarre. Nothing like what Matt had experienced back home. It was so calm and he was used to chaos; gun shots and screams. However, he found himself impressed by the peace, by how things were in complete order. It was what I hoped Earth would look like, technology and nature coexisting in peace.

For the first time now, Matt noticed that everybody was wearing exactly the same bodysuits, almost the same as his. Sleek, tight bodysuits, all silvery white tinted with bluish patterns running along the torso and the side of them, all looking identical. With a quick look to the left he noticed that the patterns on Dom's suit weren't light blue as everybody else's, they were black contrasting with the light colours of the city around them.

"Oi, Dom." he spoke, before he could think.

"Yes?" he shot him a quick look.

"What's with the colours?"

"What colours?" he frowned looking back down at him.

"The colours on the suits." Matt replied, eyeing his and raising his eyebrows for good measure.

"Oh" he murmured looking forward again "They show your rank."

"My rank?" Matt questioned curiously staring at him.

"Yeah. When you came here you were an Offender, thus your colour was red. Now you are a citizen so you are white. Most citizens are divided into two categories according to their skills and talents, Producers and Minders." he explained.

"Producers and Minders?" Matt curiously asked, suddenly intrigued by this odd new policy system.

"Yes. See?" he stopped outside a Bakery and looked through the window at the woman working inside. "She's a Producer. She produces goods. Her colour is light blue."

"And the Minders?"

"The Minders provide services. Like this guy over there." he pointed at a skinny, bald guy on the other side of the street, the patterns of his suit being a light purple colour. "He might be a doctor, or a counsellor."

"Oh" Matt smiled widely. "And what about you?"

"Deputy Commander."

"Deputy Commander?" he repeated, irritated that he had stopped explaining. He simply nodded. "Then...who's the Leader?" he questioned, willing to keep the conversation going.

"Oh..." he giggled quietly "I'm afraid it's still quite early for this information." he smiled apologetically.

"What d'you mean early?" he said in a more aggressive tone. When he didn't answer he decided he had to push. "Who's the Leader?"

"Sorry, Matt, but you won't hear any names from me." he firmly said, throwing a glance towards me out of the corner of his eye.

"Dom." I dead-panned "Are you bullshitting me?"

"No, not at all. On the contrary. I'm being quite honest with you."

"Then why can't you tell me that? Is this a top security secret or something?" Matt had started shouting now.

"First of all, lower your voice." he said calmly and tightly grabbed Matt's arm as a warning, looking at the people around. "And secondly, there's a right time for everything. You'll know that when the time comes."

"And when will that time come?"

He didn't reply but only looked at him and laughed picking up his pace. Matt glared at him knowing he wouldn't get an answer but not wanting to push his luck. 

"Dick." Matt said through his teeth.

"What?" now was Dom's turn to glare at him.

"Nothing." Matt said smirking and looked forward again.

He started walking even faster forcing Matt to almost run to keep up with him. 

Matt looked up at the enormous buildings with their glass surface glistening to the bright light. It looked so magical, similar to what he'd seen before but alien. It so much reminded me of London, not the days he'd lived there but before that. His mum had shown him pictures of how London used to look before the crisis hit the world. There were huge skyscrapers wherever you looked, every one of them covered in glass like these ones here. Everything looked so polished compared to what it had become now.

"Is this the capital?" Matt asked still looking around, admiring the beautiful glow of the city.

"Yes." Dom simply replied.

"So there are more places?" he asked, imagining green landscapes and alien sunsets. A tranquil environment where people would be free to do whatever they wanted, away from the strict surveillance of the city. Farmers would be taking care of their animals under the sun and children would be cheerfully playing in the fields like they used to be back on Earth before the crisis struck.

"Yes." he said again in the same dead tone.

"So?"

"So what?" he glimpsed at him without turning his head.

"How is it there? Fields? Animals? Old farmers?" he looked at him expectantly with a big grin on his face, eyes wide.

"What!?" he cackled turning Matt's smile upside down. "Where do you think you are, Matt?"

"W-What do you mean?" Matt queried, raising one confused eyebrow.

"There aren't any animals running free around here. That would cause serious problems." he frowned. "And there aren't any farmers. Definitely not old." he chuckled.

"Wha-Problems? What are you talking about?" Matt laughed. Was this guy serious?

"Animals are in laboratories to prevent any virus from spreading. And specific age groups like children and elders are prone to illnesses. There couldn't be transferred here."

"What?" Matt went to say but the realization of what he had just said hit him as he looked around. He was right. There weren't old people here, neither had they come across any children yet. That meant--

"All children were left there to die..." Matt whispered as his feet ceased to move.

"Matt?" Dom said, turning around to look at him as he stopped walking too.

"All children were left there to DIE!?" Matt screamed, aware of all the weird looks he received as some people had stopped to stare at them, but he couldn't bring himself to care as he charged towards him, hands instinctively going for his neck.

"Matt!" he chocked as Matt pushed him to the wall. Dom's hands grabbed his and he pushed him away with a fluid motion, dusting the front of his sleek suit off. He shot Matt an infuriating look using it to warn him to stay quiet. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" 

Frustrated, Matt ran my fingers through my hair, pulling it, and turned around to leave.

"Matt! Hey! Hold on a second." he grabbed his arm and pulled him back, his tone now completely different.

"Leave me alone, you f**king hypocrite!" Matt screamed trying to jerk his arm off his grip but he held strong.

"Are you crazy!?" he whispered, angrily squeezing Matt's arm making my skin hurt under his grip. "Stop screaming!"

"Leave me alone!" he shouted again at last managing to get his arm freed and started walking fast down the street.

"Matt. Matt!" he said loud enough for only Matt to hear. He grabbed his arm again and turned him around pushing him against a nearby wall, his strong arms firmly holding the smaller man in place and his grip on his forearm tightening every second he kept squirming. "Calm the f*ck down and listen to me, for God's sake!"

He waited until Matt stopped moving and started speaking, his voice calmer and mellow.

"It's not my fault. It wasn't me who made the rules and I'm not authorized to change them."

"Bullshit." Matt spat in his face, trying to get away when his grip loosened.

"Listen to me." Dom said pushing him back to the wall. "If it was on me I would bring every child here and make sure they were safe." he said through clenched teeth.  "We can change the rules once things have settled down a bit. You've got to be patient." He looked in his eyes waiting for a response. "Okay?" he asked quietly his eyes locked on his.

Matt didn't know if it was his words or his intense stare, his big, sincere, grey eyes, that made him believe him, trust him again, but he nodded. Breaking his stare from Dom's and swallowing he gently pushed him out of his way as he stepped away from the wall. With a satisfied smile he let go off his arm.

"Let's walk for a bit more and then we can go have lunch, yeah?" he said sweetly, patting Matt's back.

They spent another hour or so walking around the city. They, for the most part, remained silent apart from random comments about something Matt would notice and had to let Dom know, even though he knew he already knew this city like the back of his hand. 

As much as Matt hated everything he had to go through during the last three days he had to admit he loved it here. It was all worth it. And he was grateful for Dom letting him be out here, as much as he hated to admit that too. 

Matt knew of course that this was not for his own entertainment. He was planning something. He had something to expect from this escapade. Even if he hadn't figured this out before, he could now tell by the looks he was giving him every some minutes like he was expecting him to say or do something. Matt had taken his eyes away from the city to look at him and give him a tight smile a couple times and he would immediately look away, obviously not caring if he found those stares weird or not.

They eventually turned around and walked back to his office when he started getting tired. Of course he wouldn't admit it but Matt could tell his feet had started to hurt by his slower pace and his pursing his lips with every step he took. It was obvious he wasn't used to being away from his luxurious office and his servants being ready to get him whatever he asked for. He indeed was a rich, spoiled kid.

When they eventually made it to his office Matt plopped down on the chair in front of his desk and stretched his legs that were throbbing from all the walking. In fact, he felt his whole body throbbing but it wasn't from tiredness, it was a throb of pleasure. It was unbelievably refreshing getting to be free and exploring a new terrain such as this.

Dom sat down on his chair and pressed the button on the surface of his desk. What seemed like a restaurant menu appeared on the screen and he checked about eight different dishes.

Widening his eyes in disbelief, he asked "Who's eating all these?"

He slowly removed his eyes from the screen to stare at Matt for some short moments before he broke into a fit of giggles. "We are, of course!"

"Isn't it a bit... too much food for two?" Matt asked, uncertain of what he'd found so funny.

"Not a big fun of food, huh?" he gave the screen one last tap and leaned back on his leather black chair. "I figured you'd be hungry after not having eaten for so long." he added in a tone that showed he was insulted.

"No, no. I am, it's just..." Matt giggled, his eyes loosing focus as he stared at something in front of him that the blond couldn't see. 

"Weight watching?" he giggled, drumming his fingers on the glossy surface of his desk.

"No." Matt shook my head.

"What? You're picky, allergic, have an eating disorder?" he tried again, giggling in a failed attempt to sound friendly.

"No, no, nothing like that." Matt replied. Focusing again, he looked up at him. "Just never had that much back home." 

"Oh, I-" he cleared his throat and awkwardly shifted in his seat. "I'm sorry, I didn't know-"

"It's fine." Matt said casually throwing his arms behind his head and leaning back in his chair.

As Matt stretched he felt Dom's eyes glued on him and an annoyed huff escaped him, barely audible, that made a small smile creep onto his face. It was quite obvious that he didn't quite like his cool demeanour and he couldn't say he wasn't enjoying it. He giggled, the sound not matching the look in his eyes.

"Well," he smirked "you can have as much as you want now. You're gonna need it anyway." and with that his smile faded.

"So. That's all you spend your time doing here? Eating like a king and strolling around the city?" Matt asked light-heartedly.

Dom laughed and Matt followed suit, not bothering to completely cease it when three people came into the room caring our food. Matt only stopped when he noticed a blonde walking inside behind them, in her silver suit that hugged her body so perfectly, and went to stand beside Dom placing a soft hand on his shoulder. 

"Do need anything else, Mr Howard?" she asked giving him a lopsided, seductive smile which Dom returned with much more excitement than Matt expected.

"No, we're fine, Celia. Thank you." he said and she walked out, gaining a couple hungry, though discreet, looks from Dom before she was completely out of sight.

When the door slid closed Matt turned to him raising two disbelieving eyebrows at him and chuckling. He knowingly nodded with a grin on his face and we both broke into a fit of giggles again.

For the next hour or so they sat there casually discussing a wide variety of subjects ranging from Celia to his favourite animal to the colour of the sky at night. It was strange how even though Matt had known him for only less than a day and yet his feelings for him usually ranged from anger to disgust it felt as if he'd known him his entire life. It felt like meeting a lost friend after spending ages apart and discussing every silly little thing that came to mind just to make up for the lost time. It made him feel awkward but yet, though he'd never admit it to him he felt secure, in a way.

He leaned back in his chair enjoying the full feeling in his stomach that he'd missed so much since his dad left. He smiled bitterly to the thought for a second and merely started recalling that time back then until Dom spoke.

"Come on! Eat!" he said cheerfully. "You're gonna need the energy."

"What for?" Matt giggled.

"You're in the army now, Matt. You are gonna need to eat properly to make it through. And building up some muscle could do in your situation." he grinned.

"My body's fine, thank you very much." he smiled back. "And I'm more than full already anyway." he added rubbing his slightly puffed up stomach.

"That's something that'll definitely have to change."

"Ah, really?" He nodded. "And why's that?"

"For the reasons I mentioned before." he breathed, leaning back in his chair. "The army has rules that demand changes to the person." he added, staring at him and Matt'd swear something changed in his eyes but he couldn't really put his finger on it.

"Like?"

He stood up, pacing around the desk and stopping in front of the door.

"I'll show you."

"Where are we going now?" Matt asked, leaning on the back of his chair and stretching, feeling heavy and sleepy after our meal.

"There's just one more thing that needs to be done." he smiled as he opened the door. "Are you coming?"

Matt stood up and followed him reluctantly. As we walked through corridors all he could do was look around trying to notice things he hadn't noticed before since he was always dragged through these corridors but my mind started getting lost in random places being too heavy from the lack of a good night's sleep. 

Dom started humming a soft melody like a lullaby that caught my attention. Matt tried to focus on it as he found it quite familiar but he couldn't tell if it was a song he'd heard before. He figured it might be a song he had composed himself because it almost sounded like his smugness and haughtiness. However, it was pleasant and almost lulled him to sleep as he kept following him, having again lost track of how long we had been walking. Dom suddenly spoke.

"Here we are." he exclaimed quietly, heading to a door identical to every other door we'd passed by. 

"What's this?" Matt asked, slowly pacing towards him.

He didn't answer. He just signalled me to go inside with a little theatrical bow. Matt giggled quietly, still surprised with this fun side of him, and walked in. 

The room was small, plain and not quite surprisingly, white. There was a chair in the middle of the room and just behind it was a counter with several delicate metallic tools lying on it, some in metallic cases and others just sprawled on the surface. It looked like a doctor's room; cold and creepy. 

He heard Dom coming closer behind him. 

"What is th-" he went to ask, starting to turn around to face him, but was cut off by two strong hands grabbing his and urging him towards the chair. "Dom!?" he yelled turning to him for help for the second time even though he knew he wouldn't get any. 

"Calm down, Matt." he said in an smug tone, proud, apparently, that he had managed to lure him into this trap. He paced closer to me as he was forced on the chair, arms behind his back emphasizing his imperious posture. "It won't hurt a bit." 

"What the fuck is this!? Let me go!" Matt screamed, twitching and pulling as he was held down.

Within a second he was cuffed on the chair, wrists and ankles tightly held in place by four leather straps attached to the chair.

His heartbeat had doubled in rate by the time everyone went away to their previous spots near the door. He could hear it in his ears and feel blood pounding in the veins on his neck. He was feeling nauseous and cold. His head was pounding. Something wasn't right. What did they want from him? He thought he was safe. He thought they had now trusted him. He made him trust him. He was such a bloody idiot!

Suddenly a loud buzz came from behind him, from somewhere near the counter and had started getting closer. And just then something clicked in his head. 

The Army. Conform to the rules. Changes.

The were going to cut his hair.

Matt stretched his neck to look behind only to be faced with an electric shaver.

"No. No. No. No! Please, don't!" he begged, his voice getting higher and higher with every word. He started twitching on the chair, trying to somehow get free but he could do nothing. He was helpless. His eyes started burning as tears began to blur his vision. He couldn't focus his eyes on anything around him. He turned his head to the right then to the left watching as the machine was coming closer and closer to his scalp. Hysterical cries were coming out of his mouth and tears were chocking him. They couldn't do that. No. "No, please! NO! NOOO!" he shouted, but nobody reacted, nobody shifted, nobody moved their eyes. This was just routine to them. It was routine to Dom. 

How had he ever trusted him?

I blinked to get rid of the tears blurring my vision and as a couple trickled down my cheeks and I was again being able to focus I glimpsed at him. He was leaning against the wall near the door completely relaxed, arms crossed over his chest, like he was watching a movie he'd watched before but it was still as exciting as the first time. He was so much enjoying this.

"Dom, please. Please! Please..." Matt begged again, voice fading away as a new wave of tears came up to chock him. He was eyeing from him to the razor coming closer to his head every second, trying to think of anything that could get me out of there. "NO!" he screamed when the razor was only an inch away from his scalp, already cutting his red hair. He slowly started realizing he couldn't do anything, he couldn't help it. In the end they would take away everything from him. They had won. Matt stood still and held his breath, his entire body tensing, he shut his eyes tightly waiting for it to end. 

"Stop!" he heard a voice calling over the buzz near his ear. His eyes shot open to see Dom pacing toward him once again but this time something was different. The buzz stopped and the person behind him took a step away from the chair. His features had hardened and his eyebrows were furrowed. He looked the most shocked, the most discomposed Matt'd ever seen him before. 

Matt thought he confusedly frowned up at him but in fact, he couldn't move. He was frozen as he squatted down to uncuff his legs after he'd freed his arms. Their eyes met and, even though Matt thought it impossible, his featured hardened even more. Matt wondered how he looked, what he could see in his eyes, what expression was plastered on his face but he was sure it must have been awful judging by Dom's reaction.

Dom grabbed his arm and hauled him up. That was the last thing he remember until a hand released the fabric of his suit and he was thrown into his room. His legs gave in and he collapsed onto the floor by his bed. He managed to catch only a glimpse of Dom's face before the door slid shut and he curled up into a ball on the floor.


	6. Chapter 6

Since Matt remembered himself, he had his figure burnt into his brain, always next to him, never once leaving his side.

He was there when little Matt shed his first tooth and he had taken him to the bridge, instructing Matt to throw his baby tooth into the river and make a wish. Matt had wished to spend Christmas with him.

He was there when Matt had the flu. It had lasted more than the previous times and his parents had been worried. Doctor said that it wasn't serious and all little Matt needed was to rest so he didn't have to stay at his side. He did, however, and never once complained, because Matt couldn't see his friends until he was healthy again and he had to keep him company.

He was there when one afternoon a crying Matt came home from school. At first Matt wouldn't say what had happened to make him so upset but after being pestered for about an hour he had given in. He told him he was bullied and had been for the last few months until that day it had became quite unbearable. He made him lunch and left him slurping at his soup while he went to dig for something in the basement. He came back after a while holding an old battered acoustic guitar - his father's first. He taught him how to play that same evening, giving him a reason to wake up in the mornings.

He was there when puberty hit and Matt had become unbearable to everyone. He helped him figure himself out, giving him advice and listening to his endless complaints about everything and everyone in the world. He never once complained about it.

He was there when the virus first made its appearance. He put up with Matt's endless questions and collected as much information as he could get to be able to keep him up to date and explain anything that was too much for his twelve-year-old brain. He held him tight and covered his eyes when people in the streets were dying screaming.

He was there when father was enlisted in the army and they were left alone. He absolutely exhausted himself working to feed them and keep them safe. He was more of a father to him than his father ever had been.

Since Matt remembered himself, he had his figure burnt into his brain, always next to him, never once leaving his side.

Except he did.

Matt's eyes slowly fluttered open and he tried to hold back the thoughts that would flood his now conscious brain to no avail. He felt the start of a swirling headache behind his eyes as his brain decided it was time to resume the torture from last night.

He inhales and shut his eyes for a long moment. He opened them again, exhaling. 

He aimlessly looked around the room. The digital clock on the wall read _07:47 ._

Matt half-heartedly pushed himself up from the floor, grabbed his card and exited the room. He checked-out like Dom had instructed and made his way to the camp outside. 

A Sergeant was shouting for Matt to get in line. He was running one moment. Then he was on the ground. Somebody pulled him up by a handful of his suit. 

He couldn't tell how long he had been running for but when he was done his whole body was sore. A guy hit him in the back - in a friendly manner Matt decided some seconds later - and suggested they went for breakfast. Matt had thought that it was a tad too late for breakfast, and he was a tad too exhausted to have an appetite, but complied all the same, from lack of a good enough excuse to get him out of it. He sat there while the other privates bantered and laughed obnoxiously loudly to vulgar jokes. They suggested they stayed there until lunch time and Matt silently agreed, again from lack of a sufficient excuse, but when lunch time rolled up he couldn't stomach more than a couple bites of his steak.  

A guy commented on how apparently Matt absolutely reeked so Matt ignored his body's protests and got into the shower. He locked himself in his room after and, out of lack of anything better to do, went to bed long before the sun had set. 

In his half-conscious state he decided that going on autopilot had gone well on his first day so he keeps it up the next day and the day after that, and so on. One week in though, and things had started getting rough. All his muscles ached with the slightest movement and being quiet didn't help anymore. He had food thrown at him on the occasion and the friendly pats on the back didn't feel that friendly anymore, but Matt doesn't even flinch, choosing to ignore it like most things nowadays. When a fist is raised and goes for his cheek, Matt finally flinched, jerked out of his seat, even though the fist never makes contact with his face. When a cackle echoes from somewhere on his left and he looks hurt despite trying to hide it, a guy explains that they were 'just trying to bring him out of his shell'. It didn't bring him out of his shell. If anything it made him retreat further into it, and on one occasion, lose his temper and punch a guy in the jaw. In return, he was now sporting a black eye. He didn't attempt it again.

He knew that acting like he was actually alive would help his situation but he found that he was unable to turn autopilot mode off at this point. Being a walking corpse, like those Earthlings, was by far the easiest option - not that it was actually an option. He just couldn't find the energy or motivation to do anything and the weight of responsibility and guilt was weighing him down, closer and closer to bottom, little by little every day. It took Matt just a couple more weeks to be able to fully accept he had lost and to swallow the idea of having completely given up, but when he finally did he had thought that, in his miserable state, he'd eventually found peace.

 

It must have been about a month later when things started to change.


End file.
